A Twinkle of Hope
by Alaxsxaq
Summary: The Civil War is nearing its end. A ravaged and broken Equestria groans beneath the tyrants heel. But hidden deep in the country lies a resistance, hell-bent on ensuring that the torch of liberty is never snuffed out. Only when the gloom has been removed, and nopony has to live in fear, only then will they rest... A Story I submitted a short while ago to Fimfiction
1. Prologue

A Twinkle of Hope - Prologue

Four years have passed since that faithful shot was fired in Fillydelphia. The national guard was sent deal with the "Equalist Movement". But that battle was lost. The city fell to the Rebels, and thus began the Civil War. The horrors of war haunt the minds of all those who participate, especially when the enemy is family or friend. The ideologies set forth by each side revolved around one key issue: Who deserves to rule Equestria?

For centuries the two Alicorns have looked over the land, granting it beautiful days and enchanting nights. The two ruled justly, and Equestria flourished under their guidance. Still there existed those who thought the Sun and Moon where obsolete, relics of a bygone era holding on to the last remnants of the old ways. Thus was the germ of the Equalists, preaching a world where anypony could rule, and where the archaic doctrines of magic were superseded by scientific discovery, burying the old practices where they rightfully belong, in the history books, along with the Alicorn.

But this feeling was not shared by all. To them, the two Princesses belonged at the helm of the kingdom, and performing their duties of raising and lowering the heavenly bodies. The world was in balance. The world was as it should be. And those that held these things to be true, and indeed self-evident, the Equalists sought to tear down establishment for their own anarchic purposes.

And ponies fought to prove they were right. If things can be proven right by those who make the rules, the Equalists had fought the good fight. But the glorious fantasy envisioned by the agitators never came. Great ideas were preached; ones of truth, justice, equality, freedom. But those virtues are now perverted. Only ignorance, fear, and oppression remain.

Now the war draws to a close. The remnants of Equestria's once proud military take refuge in a location as of yet unknown to the Equalist leaders. There the last light of everything their once mighty kingdom held dear endures. The ponies that seek to defend it do so because it is something worth fighting, and dying for. The tyrant wishes to lull them to sleep with sweet, empty promises. But they will not go quietly into that good night...


	2. Chapter 1

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 1

Marshal Powderkeg looked around the war room. Staff officers were frantically running about, deeply afraid of the Marshal's dissatisfaction. He was prone to explosive bouts of anger, which usually ended in a commission being revoked. The war was almost over, and the general didn't wish to keep the Premier waiting.

"Generals! Assemble! I promised the Senate I would have Equestria subdued by next week!" the Marshal bellowed. His voice was naturally loud, and was only filled with annoyance, much to the relief of everyone in the room. The Generals all took a seat at the large rectangular table in the center. "Good. Now General Chevauchee, this invasion was your task to plan. Let us hear it."The Marshal was a broad-chested giant of an Earth-Pony, whose voice simply commanded authority.

The unicorn immediately got up and cleared his throat: "Yes sir! The 5th Armored Division is ready now for deployment. The plan is to do a swift sweep of the desired region, eliminating all pockets of Rebel activity. The 46th Squadron is primed to provide air support. By this time next week, we shall have total victory." He quietly sat down, staring timidly at Powderkeg.

"Excellent! I give the orders: execute the invasion plans at once. Rally the troops!" The Marshal saluted with his right hoof.

All his officers rose and saluted likewise, saying in unison "Sir yes sir!" One pegasus general however approached Powderkeg and asked him where the invasion was going to be.

The Earth-pony gave a slight smile, looking down on his subordinate. With his booming voice he uttered: "Ponyville."


	3. Chapter 2

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 2

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes difficulty, trying to fight their natural gravity. Painfully she got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen, barely cognitive enough to prepare a pot of coffee. A few minutes later and she was already starting to adjust to the unforgiving morning. Walking outside in her robe she grabbed the paper. "Ponyville National Guard retreats." she read to herself. "Mayor is now talking about peaceful integration into Democratic Republic of Equestria." Rainbow Dash was never one for politics, but that meant the War would soon be over. She could get on with her life, managing the weather in town. She wasn't hurt directly by the conflict. Everyone she knew lived in Ponyville, which had yet to have a single raid, and that record looked like it would remain undisturbed. She put down the paper, finished her bagel, and left her home.

Already people were shifting away from war-mode. The peace talks were now set for today. Rainbow Dash met with her friends in the town square, in a great throng of ponies awaited the Mayor.

"Can y'all believe it? The War's finally fixin' to be over!" Applejack proclaimed. She had been growing apples for the military as food, and increasing demand had sapped her farm's soil dry. She needed to feed a town and every year her resources dwindled to do that. She was eager to begin the healing process.

"Simply marvelous! The stress of this dreadful conflict has taken its toll. Just look at my mane! Last night I'm certain I spotted a grey hair!" said Rarity, weary from having to stay up day and night making uniforms for soldiers. The winter months were especially trying, what with all the snow and cold weather, and she had bags under her eyes from the long hours.

Twilight had never adjusted as well as the others to the fact Princess Celestia no longer sent letters. She didn't know why, but feared the worst. She was somber: "It's hard to imagine living in an Equestria without the Princess, without her guidance..."

Spike had done his best to cheer up Twilight Sparkle these last few months. "Don't worry, Twi. Soon we'll be able to get past this war. Look! The Mayor's walking on stage! That'll take your mind off of things."

Pinkie Pie in her usual joyfulness applauded loudly at the politician. "Yay! Mayor! Yay! She's gonna speak and the war's gonna be over and I'll be able to make lots of cupcakes and..."

Fluttershy placed a hoof in front of Pinkie's mouth. She stood watching the speaker on stage.

"Citizens of Ponyville! I am pleased to announce a peace treaty between Ponyville and the Democratic Republic of Equestria!" she announced. As everypony cheered, a serious looking stallion pegasus wearing a black business suit approached her. He was accompanied by four armed guards.

Clearing his throat, the stallion turned to the ponies of Ponyville. "I am pleased to inform you that peace will be made with Ponyville. However the city has been selected for demolition. Evacuation crews will be here tonight to assist in the resettlement of the citizens. Packing is not necessary. Thank you." Everypony's eyes widened.

"What do you mean 'demolition'!" yelled a disgruntled unicorn. "You can pry me from my house when I'm dead! What are we..."

A loud "BANG" was heard, and the unicorn fell over, unmoving. Everypony was screaming and crying, until they realized they were surrounded by soldiers. The Stallion on stage spoke, "Please be calm. This criminal sought to agitate you ponies and compromise your safety. Rest assured we shall protect you from any such agitators until evacuation crews arrive. Please return to your homes.

He walked away, unphased by the death of a pony that just occurred. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Twilight, and Spike decided to meet at the Sugarcube Corner. A paralyzing fear plagued them all.

"What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do?" Pinkie Pie looked like she was about to hyperventilate.

"Ah think we should split it and leave town!" AJ Interjected.

"Have you seen the soldiers? They're all across the city!" Fluttershy pointed out, teary-eyed.

Rarity tried to calm the group, "Girls! Girls! I think the best thing to do is wait here for the evacuation. At least it's the safest thing to do." Rarity's voce was heavy with defeat.

Rainbow Dash however wasn't buying into that, "How can you say that? I'm not just gonna let them destroy this place! I..I love Ponyville..." Something new possessed her. Seeing the filly die earlier gave her a newfound sense of duty to her town, to its ponies.

"No Rainbow Dash! I don't want you to go do something stupid and dying! You're coming with us! Now we should all go pack." Rarity wouldn't take 'No' for an answer. Rainbow sulked, not wanting to disturb her already traumatized friends any further.

They spent the day in the Sugarcube Corner, trying to distract themselves from the morning's events. Before any of them knew it, it was nighttime. The great artificially lights that took the place of the sun had gone out, replaced with the dim "starlights". Everypony was about to leave the pastry shop to gather their essentials. The evacuation crews certainly would be arriving soon.

Then they each heard a sound that had never occurred in Ponyville during the whole war. All 7 of them shuddered in fear at the noise piercing their ears: the sirens were going off.


	4. Chapter 3

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 3

The defeat at Fillydelphia disheartened many ponies early on, especially those living in the neighboring towns. Some immediately surrendered to the "Equalists", and the Rebels grew in strength. Morale grew low when a long string of battles produced nothing but defeats for Equestria. The Princesses grew worried. Something had to be done to change these feelings of futility. Therefore a national propaganda campaign was launched.

Victories made the headlines in every paper in Equestria, and triumphant pictures of generals parading through liberated cities empowered everypony. They happily rationed and mobilized, wanting to feed and supply a glorious military. Defeats were kept classified, and presses were payed off to keep quiet.

But as the war dragged on, headlines of decorated commanders grew few and far between. The Equestrian military was steadily being pushed westwards, until they were defending the gates of Canterlot itself. Fighting raged for days until...the royal capitol finally fell. In that decisive blow, Equestria had fallen, and her military retreated to a secluded, unknown location.

Because of the censorship, nopony really knew what happened to the princesses, or any conquered pony for that matter. Much of free ponies' knowledge came from hearsay. Especially mysterious was the Republic. It's leaders heavily censored the press, much more than Equestria did. Movement from city to city was restricted. What little information made it across the border was all based on rumor, which by now had evolved into legends and lore. And the biggest legend was who was in charge of the Republic.

It was called the "Premier". That was all anypony definitively knew. Was it a stallion or a mare? Was it an earth-pony, a pegasus, or unicorn? Some said it was another Alicorn, strong enough to defeat Celestia and Luna, combined! Others thought the Premier was a former Equestrian general who slaughtered his officers and descended into madness. Still others...

This was how Rainbow dash and her friends spent the war years, trying to figure out who this pony was, or come up with the most ridiculous story about "it". It kept their minds off the War, which progressively grew worse every day. And it kept their minds off the fates of all those ponies conquered by an unseen enemy. Twilight of all was ever anxious about the Princesses, sometimes staying up for hours into the night wondering what happened to her beloved mentor.

But even so the horrors of the Civil War never blighted Ponyville...until now.

The seven of them heard the blood-curdling ring of the sirens, placed there to warn of an attack. They looked out the window of the Sugarcube Corner to get a better look outside. Faint sounds could be heard, almost like...explosions. Large plumes of smoke and fire erupted in the distance. All of them understood what was happening. Rainbow Dash had the courage to say it aloud; "We're being bombed..."

Bursting out of the bakery, all six ponies rushed home to secure their things, and check on anypony nearby. Applejack raced to Sweet Apple Acres as fast as her gallop would take her. Were Applebloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith alright? Could they make it in time? She didn't want to think about that now. Now was the time to just do, not think.

Rarity was no less quick in her movements, arriving at her boutique. There, behind a chair, huddled Sweetie Belle, absolutely terrified. Rarity thanked Celestia, and told her sister to come with her. The meeting place was at Sugarcube Corner. The generous mare prayed her friends would make it in time.

Fluttershy checked on her cottage, and grabbed Angel. All the other animals fled into the woods. There they would be safer, Fluttershy thought. Subsequently she jetted back to the meeting spot.

Pinkie Pie ran upstairs and warned Mr. and Mrs. Cake about what was going on outside. Hastily the pink pony grabbed her dear Gummy and waited anxiously downstairs and started preparing food for the journey, worrying about her friends, her heart pounding in her chest.

Twilight Sparkle couldn't go to her home. It was too close to the bombing. She therefore stayed behind and helped Pinkie Pie. Twilight knew she shouldn't bring it up, but she could not help herself;

"What's going on? I thought they were going to evacuate us!" she was borderline hysterical.

"I dunno...I dunno...Twilight? I'm so scared..." the usually jovial mare was crying heavy tears from her blue eyes.

The bell rang above the door. It was Applejack and her family. "Ah'm here to help! We can't take too much time! Big Mac! Get all the food you can carry!"

"Eeyup!"

Applejack took charge like nopony's business. She was in full survival mode, trying to protect her friends and family. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle soon came inside. they too were put to work.

Ten minutes passed and the group seemed to have all the things they needed. Except for one thing. Where was Rainbow Dash?


	5. Chapter 4

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 4

Rainbow Dash darted across Ponyville. She was on a mission, but whereas most of her friends were busy gathering supplies for themselves, the loyal pony was frantically searching for something. She knew she wouldn't need anything from her home. She could get by without her familiar possessions. What she NEEDED was to make sure her young ward was alright.

Ever since the war started, the Wonderbolts were called into active duty. Without anything to obsess over, Rainbow grew bored. But then she found an activity in looking after the young Cutie Mark Crusader Scootaloo. She gave the filly flying lessons a couple times, and something clicked. After a few more sessions, Scootaloo was gliding more than 50 feet on a good day. Nothing made the girl happier that to learn under her role-model, and the rainbow-maned mare grew to see the orange pony as a sort of sister.

That bond drove her across town, through throngs of screaming ponies and great clouds of smoke and flames. None of that mattered to her, however. Zipping past home after home she was desperate to reach Scootaloo before...no! She didn't want to think about it...

After what seemed like an eternity, Rainbow Dash finally made it to the steps her "sister's" house. But the door was open and it was dark inside. She noticed that some chairs and tables had been knocked over. Not much care was taken when the occupants departed. The cyan pegasus postulated that her apprentice had already fled. Breathing a sigh of relief, she soared up, back to Sugarcube corner.

Only on the way back did Rainbow finally see the face of Ponyville's attacker; a squadron of armored pegasi flew overhead, holding what seemed to be large metal...oblong balls. The bombs! Her blood started to boil at the sight of ponies bringing such harm to all she held dear. Half of her wanted to tackle the closest bomber to the ground, and break his neck. But fortunately the half of that wanted to flee with her friends was in charge.

But the horrid scene still drew her mind. If only for a split second Rainbow looked in awe at what great destruction ponies were capable of. Bombs exploded into great fiery flashes. Bullets illuminated the nighttime darkness with their streams of glowing spots, strangely hypnotizing to Rainbow. Large metal vehicles shot giant blasts in the distance that seemed to annihilate whole city blocks. And the screams...

She snapped out of it and continue to fly back to the meeting place. But the carnage around the pegasus still caught her attention. She glanced at a weeping mare, leaning over an unmoving form. It was her son! Taken by an onslaught of bullets or flying debris. Rainbow Dash was suppressing every urge she had to fight back. She had more important things to do now. A mere twenty feet from the Sugarcube Corner, she looked up to the artificial "stars" and swore she would avenge her home.

Then, almost on cue, a blast from the artillery far outside of town hit her cloud castle. All that hard work, time and money, wasted, she thought. The white mass of rubble came crashing down over the ground. Again Rainbow snapped back into reality. She needed to hurry, but all these distractions kept delaying her.

Finally, she reached for the door handle and heard the once inviting bell ring. Inside were her friends, and then some. The group looked packed and ready to go, waiting only on Rainbow Dash.

"Where have you been?! We need to go now!" Twilight's expression conveyed both fury and desperation.

"I was...uh...checking on Scootaloo.."

"Really?...How is she?..Is..." whimpered Applebloom.

"She's just fine."

"No need to worry about your friend, baby sister. Alright ponies! Saddle up. We haven't got time to waste." Applejack was now the de facto leader of the refugees.

Running through the streets the group tried in vain to elude the approaching soldiers. In the fifteen or so minutes Rainbow had been gone, the invaders had made considerable progress into the city.

They were all cornered. Menacing ponies in uniform came, pointed guns at them. An officer was barking orders, orders that made everypony's heart sink.

"Remember, not a single mare, filly, or colt is to be harmed. But as for the stallions, only the strong ones are useful. Like that one!" the officer declared, pointing a hoof at Big Macintosh.

At once the group's ears rang as gunshots filled the air. A mere second passed, and they all saw the horrible sight. Mr. Cake was laying on the ground, blood flowing from every part of his body. The beloved baker had been gunned down, without remorse. A feeling of utter helplessness enveloped the rest.

Nopony dared to move. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were coddled in their older sisters' embraces. Spike turned his head into Twilight's mane. Pinkie Pie and Mrs. Cake comforted the now fatherless twins.

A soldier advanced, threatening to stab a pony with his bayonet if they didn't start moving. The sad march began. Once they were outside Ponyville, the now displaced populace watched their beautiful home as it burned to a crisp. A convoy of trucks arrived, no doubt for deportation.

But the group would not get on without planting a seed of hope. Everypony knew Rainbow Dash could escape. She was fast enough. The rest would certainly be caught by trained soldiers. Applejack gave her a slight smile, a nod, and a teary-eyed look of endearment. It told the blue pegasus exactly what the rest were thinking; "Go. Save yourself."

She hesitated with the idea of abandoning her dear friends. She couldn't...but...but...then again she could get help. Reluctantly she leaned toward Applejack. Rainbow Dash, holding back tears with every fiber of her being, whispered into the honest pony's ear "I WILL come back". She then flew up, and with all her strength, blasted across the sky. But she wasn't out of danger yet.


	6. Chapter 5

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 5

The world was a blur. Everything merely whizzed past as Rainbow Dash raced across the sky, frantically trying to out-fly the two armed soldiers darting right behind her. They at first told Rainbow to stop, and come peaceably. But the ever brash and bold pony would not relent, especially after her friends entrusted the element of loyalty with finding help. Come Hell or high water she would not relent, and no soldier was going to change that.

But she could hardly see where she was going, and it didn't help that she had no idea to what place she was going either. And to make matters worse, the soldiers were past trying to apprehend the cyan pegasus, and started firing their guns. Streams of bright orange dots littered the gap between the three flying ponies.

Pure adrenaline coursed though Rainbow's veins. she didn't care where she was flying to, so long as she made it there in one piece. After what seemed like hours, she swooped down into the trees, trying to lose her pursuers. But Dash underestimated just how strong these stallions were, smashing off tree branches in their flight. Even her signature maneuvers could not deter the resolute military ponies. Rainbow Dash contemplated in her mind for a fraction of a second to just give up. But that thought was killed and buried by her incomparable sense of loyalty. Nothing would get in her way.

Encouraged by this feeling, she closed her eyes and propelled herself as fast as her wings would take her. Even with the constant rat-tat-tat sound of the bullets itching to bury themselves inside her, she could concentrate just enough to channel all her energy into flying. Faster...faster...faster she went, until a cone started to form around her. This was it, she thought. I'll break the sound barrier and be rid of these monsters. But right then a thought crossed her mind: would her great Sonic Rainbow actually save her, or just attract attention. She pondered this in the time from the cone forming to when she jettisoned at supersonic speeds...or she would have.

Right before she could launch, she felt a sharp pain in her right wing. At that very moment she stopped flapping, the inertia still carrying her forward, and gravity pulling her down. During her descent she overheard the soldiers saying "She's as good as dead. Mission accomplished." "Now let's go to those other mares and..." whatever followed was too faint and far away to hear.

Crashing onto each and every tree limb between the forest canopy and the ground, Rainbow Dash finally hit the hard, unforgiving soil. Then it all went black.

A few minutes later she came to, and tried to lift off again, but the sharp pain kept her wings from flapping. She checked the right one, to assess the injury. The bullet only grazed her, but seemed to slightly crack the bone. From here on out, Rainbow was walking.

Still high on adrenaline, the cyan pegasus ran through the woods, ducking and dodging anything in her way. Dash didn't care which direction she ran, the same as before. Hopefully she'll reach civilization sooner or later.

Her escape was interrupted when she came across a pond. Painfully thirsty, the pony took a drink and washed her wing. She could not do it anymore. A tear fell from her eye and cause a ripple in the water. more tears quickly followed. She sat down on her haunches and wept till her eyes became dry. She wailed and spoke to herself out loud.

"Why! I...I don't know what to do...my friends...I can't...I'm...I can't fly and I have no idea where to go. I've let them down, and now they're going to...Celestia knows what..."

When the tears stopped, she noticed her reflection. Gazing at her own face, a look of resolve again covered her countenance. No! Never give up! I've got to help them! Wiping her eyes, she got up, and continued.

Now, with her wing wrapped in a makeshift bandage of leaves, Rainbow Dash earnestly traversed the woods. Glade after glade, meadow after meadow. The great artificial "day lights" were just starting to turn on, their dim light gradually increasing. In the early morning light she noticed a sort of walled structure and the faint silhouettes of ponies walked across it. She did not know whether this fort was friendly or hostile, but nonetheless she walked closer to the gate.

She heard a pony yell something while pointing a hoof at her.

Then, utterly exhausted, Rainbow collapsed on the ground. The last thing she saw before passing out was a blurred figure standing right in front of her.


End file.
